How to Simply Wash Clothes That Have Been Exposed to Bed Bugs

Lisa Wampler

Bed bugs are about the size of apple seeds, and they feed off dead skin and blood. Getting rid of bed bugs can take weeks and several attempts. Fortunately, you can simply wash clothes that have been exposed to bed bugs. Cleaning your clothes will become the easiest process in your efforts to get rid of bed bugs.

Bed bugs lurk in your mattress and in your clothes.

Step 1

Place exposed clothes into your washing machine.

Step 2

Set the washing machine to the longest hot-water cycle possible. This process will vary depending on the brand of washing machine you have.

Step 3

Add in your amount of laundry detergent. You will not need specialized laundry soap to kill off bed bugs.

Step 4

Run a full cycle as you normally would.

Step 5

Transfer the wet clothes to a dryer, setting the dryer to the longest cycle possible. Run the full cycle to dry the clothes.

Step 6

Keep the clothes away from your bedroom or areas infested with bed bugs until you are certain the bed bugs are gone from the area. This will avoid reintroducing your clothes to the bed bugs.